Mystery and Suspense… with a touch of romance

The Weekend

Kaye Owens sat on the exam table, swinging her feet off the side. She’d worked hard to establish her own catering service. Now that it was profitable, she could ill afford to slack off. The three hours spent in the doctor’s office were ones she would never get back.

She made an appointment because of her husband’s persistence. Scott knew she would never do it on her own. He even insisted on coming with her.

“Your lab work is normal. Blood pressure is a little high, but at this point nothing to be overly concerned with. The headaches are likely caused by tension. Have you been under a lot of stress with your business?”

“No.”

“Yes,” Scott said. “She works too much. She hasn’t had a free day in over a year.”

“The best medicine I can prescribe is for you to take a few days off. Go away for a long weekend. Don’t take the job with you. Just relax.”

“But, I can’t…”

“She’ll will,” Scott said. “I’ll see to it she does.”

*****

No matter how much Kaye protested, Scott would not relent on them leaving town for the Labor Day weekend.

Kaye knew he was right. Scott supported her efforts when she started Crêpes and More. She sacrificed a lot in order for the business to succeed. Her hard work paid off. She now had five employees, including her assistant.

“So, where will we go?” she asked.

“I’ve got something in mind, but I’ll need to check on a couple of things first.”

A few days later, Scott called from work. “Pack casual clothes. You’ll need comfortable shoes for walking. We’ll leave at noon on Friday.”

*****

Scott drove north on a rural highway, leaving the city behind. A few small farms dotted the landscape, but the area was mostly forest, small lakes, and gentle flowing streams.

With every mile traveled, Kaye felt more relaxed. The headache and tightness in her shoulders disappeared. It would be easy to take a nap, but she didn’t want to miss the beautiful scenery.

She looked at Scott. He’d worked long hours in order to take Friday off. “Want me to drive some?”

“Thanks, but I’m fine. It’s not much further. We’ll stop somewhere for dinner.”

An hour later, they came to the small town of Clearwater. Scott slowed the SUV and pulled into the parking lot of a local diner.

The restaurant was crowded, but they didn’t wait long for a table. After the waitress took their order, Kaye reached for her cell phone.

Scott raised his eyebrows.

“I thought I would check in with Virginia.”

“Go ahead.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not if makes you feel better, but no more calls this weekend.”

*****

They arrived at Beaver Lake near dusk. A cabin sat far off the road on the shores of the lake surrounded by a forest of pine, spruce, oak, and ash. Loons called from the water’s edge—the tremolo and wail of their voices easily distinguishable. Overheard, a great horned owl called out. A raccoon scampered across the yard.

“It’s beautiful here,” Kaye said. “How did you know about this place?”

“It belongs to a friend of mine. He comes here with his family often during the summer. He wasn’t using it this weekend, so he offered it to me.”

“Rather remote, isn’t it?”

“That’s the idea. The cabin is completely furnished with all modern amenities—except television and internet. Oh, by the way, you probably won’t be able to use your cell phone. Service is sporadic in these parts. There isn’t a land line either.”

“Now I know why you wouldn’t tell me where we were going.”

*****

Kaye and Scott walked the trails around the lake and through the surrounding woods. She enjoyed her early morning coffee while sitting in the Adirondack chairs on the lakeside dock. They roasted marshmallows over an outdoor fire pit and spent Sunday playing card games during an afternoon thunderstorm.

On Monday morning, Kaye went outdoors before sunrise. For three days she hadn’t checked email, social media, or talked to anyone except Scott. She wasn’t outside long before he joined her.

“It’s been wonderful here,” Kaye said, taking his hand. “I almost hate to go back home.”

A mist hovered over the lake as the sun appeared on the horizon. A flock of Canadian geese rose from the waters, honking as they flew away. Autumn was on the way. Time for them to migrate south, just as it was time for Kaye and Scott to return home.

We spent a vacation in a place that sounded similar. A small cabin set back in the woods with deer wandering through. There was a nearby lake and plenty of walking trails. Outside a very small town in eastern Oregon. Would love to go back.

Michele, I agree. The closest I came to being without social media was three years ago on an Alaskan cruise. I admit to being addicted to social media, so it would take something like this to keep me away. In a way, that’s sad.